2014 Comprehensive SEC Preview

[BeastMan]

SEC West Team Previews

Alabama Crimson Tide (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-alabama-crimson-tide/)

Arkansas Razorbacks (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-arkansas-razorbacks/)

Auburn Tigers (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-auburn-tigers/)

LSU Tigers (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-lsu-tigers/)

Mississippi State Bulldogs (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-mississippi-state-bulldogs/)

Ole Miss Rebels (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-ole-miss-rebels/)

Texas A&M Aggies (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-texas-am-aggies/)

SEC East Previews

Florida Gators (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-florida-gators/)

Georgia Bulldogs
(http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-georgia-bulldogs/)
Kentucky Wildcats (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-kentucky-wildcats/)

Missouri Tigers (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-missouri-tigers/)

South Carolina Gamecocks (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-south-carolina-gamecocks/)

Tennessee Volunteers (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-tennessee-vols/)

Vanderbilt Commodores (http://3rdand57.com/2014-preview-vanderbilt-commodores/)

Additional Preview Articles

2014 Breakout Performers (http://3rdand57.com/2014-sec-breakout-perfromers/)

Recruiting/Roster Talent and Results
(http://3rdand57.com/what-sec-teams-are-most-talented/)
Most Returning Starters (http://3rdand57.com/most-returning-starters-in-the-sec/)

SEC Defense Preview (http://3rdand57.com/2014-sec-defense-preview/)

SEC Offense Preview (http://3rdand57.com/2014-sec-offense-preview/)

Who?s on the Rise and Who?s on the Decline (http://3rdand57.com/2014-sec-risers-and-fallers/)

[Political Hack]

that's a lot.

On the State preview you're dead on that this season will likely define CDM's typical ceiling at State. That's scary and exciting at the same time.

[ShotgunDawg]

I'm not sure I agree that this year will define Mullen's ceiling at MSU because sports will always possess some randomness, and I believe that we are continuing to build more and more depth. There is no reason to think we can't be more talented in 3 years than we are now.

As to the randomness, you don't win every close game your in. What if Westerfield misses the field goal to beat Arkansas in 98? Is Jackies ceiling then less than an SEC West title?

The ceiling thing is something that looks good on paper but makes little sense in reality. MSU will play in some really close games this season, and we may win them all, lose them all, or win a few and lose a few. Point being, at some point it's about who plays the best and who gets the breaks. Regardless of which side your on, winning or losing a close game does little to define the ceiling of any program. That absurd, and I'm not sure why intelligent people ever feel the need to place ultimatums on uncertain and random games and futures

This year defining Mullen's ceiling is something media people say to create a topic of discussion, but makes little sense in reality.

[Political Hack]

i agree it's not an absolute, but the schedule and openess of the west combined with the talent level this year sure as he'll make a good argument for this being a "ceiling" type year.

[blacklistedbully]

Sorry, I just can't believe you think our most likely ceiling is 8 wins. We have:

1. USM
2. UAB
3. USB
4. UT-MArtin
5. UK
6. Vandy
7. UPig

If we don't win all 7 of those, something is really wrong. And if we win 7 of those, winning just 1 more other than that would be a disgrace, IMO.

If Dan wins just 8 games this year, with the talent he has returning and the schedule set up the way it is, he should be run outta town on a rail, barring a barrage of key injuries. 8 wins should be an embarrassment this year, not a ceiling.

[BeastMan]

I didn't say 8 was his ceiling. I picked 8 wins, almost went 9. I'd say 10 would be his "everything goes right" ceiling.

[blacklistedbully]

I didn't say 8 was his ceiling. I picked 8 wins, almost went 9. I'd say 10 would be his "everything goes right" ceiling.

"When it comes to MSU, I could see anywhere from 7 to 10 wins as a possibility with 8 being the most likely ceiling."

That's what you said, verbatim.

[RougeDawg]

I would consider 7 wins a disaster this year. 8 wins a disappointment. 9 on par with our talent/history. 10 great season and taking next step. 11, next step taken and where do I buy playoff tickets??

[BeastMan]

"When it comes to MSU, I could see anywhere from 7 to 10 wins as a possibility with 8 being the most likely ceiling."

My bad. I did say it. That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with 8-4. Sure 10 would be great but anything over 8 is lagniappe IMO.

[Political Hack]

I think we win 9 this year and I think that's pretty close to the ceiling. 10-11 is it in the regular season, max, in the SEC West currently.

[preachermatt83]

Sorry, I just can't believe you think our most likely ceiling is 8 wins. We have:

1. USM
2. UAB
3. USB
4. UT-MArtin
5. UK
6. Vandy
7. UPig

If we don't win all 7 of those, something is really wrong. And if we win 7 of those, winning just 1 more other than that would be a disgrace, IMO.

If Dan wins just 8 games this year, with the talent he has returning and the schedule set up the way it is, he should be run outta town on a rail, barring a barrage of key injuries. 8 wins should be an embarrassment this year, not a ceiling.

yes yes yes!!! 100% correct on everything!!

[BeastMan]

I would consider 7 wins a disaster this year. 8 wins a disappointment. 9 on par with our talent/history. 10 great season and taking next step. 11, next step taken and where do I buy playoff tickets??

We're an injury away from 7 being solid. 10 is possible but it's best case scenario. Everything needs to break just right and that is largely us avoiding injuries and opponents missing a key player or 2 when we play them.

[BeastMan]

I think we win 9 this year and I think that's pretty close to the ceiling. 10-11 is it in the regular season, max, in the SEC West currently.

The SEC west is so strong it's outrageous. When you really dig in to everyone else, you see how loaded everyone is. 8-4 is still very strong in the SEC West

[defiantdog]

State's break out player will be Josh Robinson.... there is no debate there. I don't believe we'll have a receiver become a break out player. Not saying Wilson isn't good enough.... just saying our offense is built for the run and Robinson will get his fair share this year. He will be our break out player and I expect him to have multiple 100+ rushing games.

[RougeDawg]

We're an injury away from 7 being solid. 10 is possible but it's best case scenario. Everything needs to break just right and that is largely us avoiding injuries and opponents missing a key player or 2 when we play them.

Damien could win 8-9 games on this schedule. The 7 you quoted and the A&M and OM games. He hung with OM last year and A&M will be down. Our defense will give us a chance to win 9, even if offense loses a couple key players. Offense will only need 21-24 pts a game to win this year, if the D is just as good this year as last. And we all expect the D to be much better, given the returning talent and depth. The only game we will have an uphill battle is in Tuscaloosa. The remaining 11 we can win, 8-9 of them with us being the favored team.

[blacklistedbully]

1. USM
2. UAB
3. USB
4. UT-MArtin
5. UK
6. Vandy
7. UPig

Does anybody here really think we should not win all 7 of these? I'm not talking about upsets, because there's as much chance of us upsetting another team as there is of being upset. So, if you agree we should get 7 wins from the above, that leaves us with:

TAMU
LSU
Ole Miss
Auburn
Alabama

Would some of y'all really be ok with losing 4 of those 5? I just can't understand that, not given what we have coming back versus what the others have coming back. I fully expect us to beat TSUN, Auburn & TAMU, and feel we have a GREAT shot at beating LSU. The only reason I don't include them in the "expect" column is the fact it is at LSU.

Now, we've gotten beat badly by Bama most years, yet we gave them a tough game last year. We will be much better this year, IMO, and they will quite likely not be quite as good. I think we've at least got a puncher's chance at Bama this year as well.

To me, we must win those 7 I first mentioned, and we really should win at least 3 of the next 5. We are going to be better than TAMU & TSUN, at least as good as Auburn, who we could (and maybe should) have beaten 4 of the past 5 games, and this year the gap is closed even more. With LSU's loss of starters the past couple of years, we quite likely could finally have a better combination of talent, experience & depth than they do. We have come close to beating them before when the talent/experience/depth gap was widely in their favor. That's not the case this year.

I just don't see how we, as fans, could be happy with anything less than 10 wins in the regular season this year. The stars are aligning, folks. It's time to shit or get off the pot in football! This is OUR STATE and OUR YEAR!!!!!

It's a damn fine day to be a Bulldog!

[Political Hack]

I think we split OM, A&M, and Auburn at 2-1, hence 9 wins.

[maroonmania]

I think we win 9 this year and I think that's pretty close to the ceiling. 10-11 is it in the regular season, max, in the SEC West currently.

I agree, 10 wins is likely the ceiling with 9 being a VERY good year with the current state of the West. Continual Top 10 recruiting classes by Bama, LSU and Auburn just make it virtually impossible to climb any higher. Hopefully, at some point, 1 or 2 of those slide back slightly like Auburn did the last couple of years under Chizik. LSU and Bama have been automatic losses for us for the past 5 years now. That automatically puts you starting out with an absolute best case of 10-2.

[Pollodawg]

If we go 10-3 with losses all being LSU, Bama, and TSUN on the road, you can't really gripe too hard about that. Beating a top fifteen maybe top ten Auburn team would be a great way for Dan to shut some folks up, and that's truthfully the game I'm circling for defining Dan's career up to this point if I am honest with myself.

[maroonmania]

As to the randomness, you don't win every close game your in. What if Hazelwood misses the field goal to beat Arkansas in 98? Is Jackies ceiling then less than an SEC West title?


fify

Jackie's ceiling at MSU should have been higher than Mullen's is now because Bama and LSU were down for much of the 90s. The West was much easier to win at that time. Sherrill's MSU teams though blew too many games they SHOULD have won even during the good years which held us back.

[Offshore Dawg]

If we go 10-3 with losses all being LSU, Bama, and TSUN on the road, you can't really gripe too hard about that. Beating a top fifteen maybe top ten Auburn team would be a great way for Dan to shut some folks up, and that's truthfully the game I'm circling for defining Dan's career up to this point if I am honest with myself.

Somebody needs to pull that horseshoe out of Auburn's ass this year, Talk about getting all the breaks at the right time.

[BeastMan]

State's break out player will be Josh Robinson.... there is no debate there. I don't believe we'll have a receiver become a break out player. Not saying Wilson isn't good enough.... just saying our offense is built for the run and Robinson will get his fair share this year. He will be our break out player and I expect him to have multiple 100+ rushing games.

It was either Josh or Bear in my eyes. You're right though, if Josh gets the carries he should, he'll be a breakout guy

[Political Hack]

It was either Josh or Bear in my eyes. You're right though, if Josh gets the carries he should, he'll be a breakout guy

Bear is still a little uncomfortable using his hands in some situations. He allows the ball to get into his body, especially on out routes... which kills me. If he can make that switch, people will have zero chance to separate him from the ball. As soon as that happens, he's arguably going to be a top 5 SEC WR.

[RougeDawg]

Somebody needs to pull that horseshoe out of Auburn's ass this year, Talk about getting all the breaks at the right time.

We are beating auburn and LSU this year. Book it. We finally have the combined talent, depth, and experienced that we should win both of those games. Adding those three factors together and we are the better team when looking at every team we play outside of Bama. LSU has had horrible attrition the last two years are a grossly inexperienced. We should be going for our 5th or 6th in a row against auburn. They lost the key to last years team in Mason. But I don't hear anyone talking about this factor. Mason made Marshall's job much easier. They've just gotten the lucky breaks. We are better than A&M and OM, no matter what the star gazers tell you. 9 wins is almost an absolute lock, whoever plays QB. A healthy Fak should add at least 1 if not 2 more wins. Some of you are looking at historical data when predicting this year. OM may be holding open tryouts by the time we play them. Bucky's offense has been exposed and they only have Paidwell this year as a true wr threat. Moncrief make Paidwell last ear. Plus their defense is undersized.

Quit looking at stars and start looking at reality. We will be better than all but 1 team we play when you add up talent, depth and experience for our depth.